This year month marks the 40th anniversary of the launch of the Austin Allegro in 1973. Famous for its Quartic or ‘square’ steering wheel, the car was associated with the British Leyland’s problems in the mid 1970s.
On Tuesday 7 May at 9.00am a bunch of Allegro enthusiasts are setting off for Seneffe, the site of BL’s Belgian assembly plant, where Allegros and Minis were built from Longbridge-sourced kits in the late 1970s, while Longbridge was being redeveloped in preparation for the new Austin miniMetro in 1980.
The Deputy Mayor of Birmingham will see off the cars and crews from the factory gate. They will return to join the Allegro Club’s 40th birthday party at Heritage Motor Centre Gaydon over the weekend of 11-12 May. The Sunday event is part of the museum’s spring classic day where Metros will also be present in force.
Further details available from the Allegro Club publicity officer Colin Corke (Vicar of Longbridge) on +44 (0)121 475 3484 or colin@ado67.freeserve.co.uk
- Modified Metros : Crayford Metro Politan - 28 March 2024
- The cars : Range Rover P38 Vs Jaguar X300 - 26 March 2024
- Opinion : Welcome to the classic fold, Ford Focus - 23 March 2024
Fantastic stuff, a birthday worth celebrating. I presume there will be coverage of these events on ARO.
On birthday celebrations another car is turning 50 this year and its the Hillman Imp. I read about it somewhere and the Imps story is here in the cars section from the ARO’s long time ago sister site on Rootes group cars.
One question; what is the factory making now if it still exists?